Finger lock device



1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,408,657

FINGER LOCK DEVICE Filed May 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RON/6 '1. GflLLflGA/EQ A Nov. 5, 1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,408,657

FINGER LOCK DEVICE Filed May 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illa-aura INVENTOR. fimwc v]. GHLLQGHEQ i/MI/ 0r raeusvs.

, 3,408,657 FINGER LOCK DEVICE. f Frank J. Gallagher, 13261 Prospect Ave.,

Santa Ana, Calif. 92705 7 Filed May 11, 1967, Ser. No. 637,669

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 2159) I ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE finger lock device fortemporarily holding the wearers finger in tight conformity to the handle portion of a swingable shaft, such as a golf club, baseball ba't,'or the like. The device perferably includes a finger stall with a lace connected thereto, and of sufficient length to wrap around the handle as a projection of the arc defined by the finger stall when the finger engages the handle in gripping attitude. The lace includes an extension which is drawn between the fingers to cinch it up and frictionally temporarily pinch it there between for tight lodgement.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a finger lock device which can be part of a glove, and more particularly to a glove having finger stalls whereby fingers insaid stalls can be securely locked against a handle of a swingable shaft, such as that of a golf club, .which is held in a hand on which the glove is worn.

When a golfer moves his arms into the backswing position at the start of this golf swing, it is important that his fingers remain firmly wrapped around the handle of his club so that the club head will be maintained in correct alignment with the golf ball as it is swung downward. There is a tendency, however, for inexperienced golfers to, inadvertently relax the grip of certain fingers of their hands upon a club handle as they raise their arms into the backswing position, thereby causing their shots to be misdirected. A device that will train a golfer to keep his fingers clinched during his swing is obviously advantageous to-the great number of persons who play golfrAlso, there are other sports in which a glove constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention can be used to advantage, for example, baseball and tennis. i

' Summary of the invention It is accordingly an object of this in'ventionto provide a'glove having finger stalls whereby fingers inserted in said stalls can be locked around a handle of a swingable shaft, such asthat of a golf club, baseball hat, or tennis racket, and stabilize such club, bat or racket during the swing thereof. w

'Another object of the invention is to provide a golf glove' with means which are capable of locking fingers in the glove about a golf club handle, and which are also capable of conveniently being placed in an out-of-use position that permits the glove to be used in the same manner as conventional golf gloves.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a glove with finger locking means that can readily be adjusted to maintain a grip of any desired tightness on a handle held in the hand on which the glove is worn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a glove wherein finger stalls of the hand inserted therein can quickly and conveniently be locked around a handle, and which can also rapidly be unlocked for free movement thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a glove of the type described, which is uncomplicated in design and construction and thus economical to manufacture.

3,408,657 Patented I Ilov. 5,

The foregoing and other objects of the invention'ar'e achieved by' means of a glove comprising at least two finger stalls joined to a back portion (and preferably to a palm portion) which in turn is joined to a wristband, at least one flexible lace attached to the 'distal end of each of the aforesaid finger stalls, and preferably, means for detachably securing the laces to the back portion'of the glove. i

Brief description of the drawings i In the accompanying drawings:, K

FIGURE 1 is a. pictorial view of the back side ofa glove constructed in accordance with the. invention, il-. lnstrated as it appears on a golfers left hand when the golfer prepares to grasp the handle of a golf club-without the use of finger lockingmeans; r

FIGURE 2 illustratesj the same glove as it appears when viewed from its palmar side and-with finger locking means of the glove in position to be looked around the. handle of a golf club;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the same glove as it appears when viewed from its palmar side and with laces of its finger locking means shown looped around the handle of a golf club and passed bet-ween the middle and ring fingers of the golfers left hand;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the same glove as it appears when the aforesaid laces have been pulled to clinch threev finger stalls of the glove around the handle of a golf club;

FIGURE 5 illustrates the same glove as it appears when a tab to which the aforesaid laces are attached has been fastened tothe back portion of the glove; FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of a modified glove constructed in accordance with the invention; r-

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9- l of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view of a second modified glove constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 11 is a view of a third modified glove constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification of the means for fastening the laces of the glove shown in FIGURE 11.

Throughout the following specification and the drawings, like numbers designate like parts.

Description of the preferred embodiments As illustrated in FIGURE 1, one embodiment of the present invention is a golf glove, generally designated 9, comprising a wrist portion 10, a thumb stall 12, four finger s'talls 14 through 20, and a unitary back portion 22 and palm portion 24 (the latter being illustrated in FIG- URE 2). Grommets 26a, 26b and 260 are fixedly mounted on the distal end of each of the middle, ring and little.

finger stalls 16, 18 and 20, a typical one of these grommets being illustrated in detail in FIGURE 7. The glove 9 is provided with finger stall locking components, prelittle finger stalls is connected to tab 30 by two lace' segments, the length of pulling the lace through grommets 26 and 34 so that tab 30 can be disposed at diflerent positions relative to finger stalls14-20 when thetab is detached from back portion 22 of the glove and thelace segments are pulledtaut, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

, An advantage of the aforedescribed glove is that it can be used, if desired, with its finger stall lockingcomponents secured as illustrated in F IGURE 1, in which.configuration the segments'of lace 32 extending from grommets 26 to the palmar side of the glove are disposed between adjacent finger stalls as illustrated in the drawing, and tab 30 is fastened to back portion 22 of the" glove.

the latter being adjustable by Thus, in this configuration 'of ta'b 30 and lace 32, the

glove can be used inthe same manner .as a conventional golf glove. When a wearer of the glovewishes to leek his middle, ring and little fingers a round tlie handle 28 of tab 30 from the hack portion "22and, with' the handle disposed transversely adjacent the'p'alrnar side of finger stalls 14-20, as illustrated in FIGURE '2, he'then loops all segments of lace 32 over the handle, as illustrated in a golf club, or other swingable shaft, he'merelyfiet'aches tension .appliedto the finger stalls. Variations .of the ten- FIGURE 3, in a projection of the arc defined by the finger stalls when the fingers engage the handle 28. The tab 30 is next preferably passed between the middle finger stall 16 and the ring finger stall 18, after which it is pulled in the direction illustrated by the arow in FIGURE 4, to draw and cinch the middle, ring and little finger stalls 16, 18 and 20, and fingers therein around handle 28. The middle, ring and litle fingers of the users left hand will now be firmly wrapped around and locked on the handle of his club. The socket 38 on tab 30 may then be pressed upon eye 36 to prevent the tab from flopping, and to keep ponents. However, the club handle can be quickly released by detaching tab 30 from eye 36, as described hereinbefore.

While the preferred embodiment illustrates a complete glove 9, it must be realized that the lace locking components could be utilized equally effectively with a partial glove commonly used by some golfers. Such a partial glove normally does not include a back portion, and the finger stalls are united with the wrist portion. If such glove were utilized, the lock fastening means could either be eliminated or secured to the wrist portion. Further, mere finger stalls and laces could also be used with equal efiect. While the material which composes the lace 32 is not critical to the invention, it should preferably be of such thickness and texture adequate to avoid cutting of the hand when in a locked position, and to provide a surface for temporary tight lodgment between the fingers. It will be obvious that many modifications of the aforedescribed glove can be made without departing fromthe basic principles of its construction and use. For example,

as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9, the lace 32 which n connects tab 30 to the middle, ring and little finger stalls 16, 18 and 20 of the glove, can be fixedly secured to the middle'and little finger stalls 16 and 20, and 'arrangedto pass through a grommet 26 mounted on the ring finger stall.

' In some applications of the invention, it may be advantageous to connect each of the middle, ring and little finger stalls to tab"30 by means of 'a separate lace, as illustrated in FIGURE 10, wherein each of three endless laces 40a, 40b and 400 is threaded through a grommet 26 a, 26b and 26c onthe end of an associated finger stall, through one of three gromments 34 mounted on the tab.

The invention is not limited, of course, with respecttio the means employed to detachably fasten the lace or laces with-a lace-orlaces so that they can be locked as described.

Thus, FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate a glove having an endless lace 42 threaded through two grommets 44a, and 44b, respectively, mounted on the distal end of the ring and little finger stalls of the glove, and through a ring 46. Fixedly monntedon the-back p0rtion22 of the glove is a hook. 48,.with'which-ring46 can'be detachably engaged. "It will be understood that-the. segments of lace/42 can be looped over a handle, as previously described in connection with the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGURE 1, after which ring 46 can be passed between the ring and little finger. stalls..and pulled to draw the latter around the handle, and the ring then engaged with hook 48. If desired, r'ing' 46' can be orni'ttedfrom the arrangcment illustrated inF-IGURES. Hand 12,. and lace 42g canitself be looped over hook :48, .as illustratedin FIGURE 13.

Hooks .onisnap-t-ype fasteners: may be. spaced lengthpoints. atlwhich a lace onlaces/can :be fastened, .depending upon the angle of the. laces caused by variationsin .the

sion on finger stalls can also be attained,.-o,f course,.-by wise of the back of a glove so as to privide a plurality of varying the length of the'lace' segments.

I While the preferred embodiments of this invention have illustrated and recited the use 'of detachablefastening means for the lace 32 to the glove 9, the lace' 32 may also be permanently attached to the back portion 22 of the glove without departing from'the' spirit of the invention.

Whenthe lace 32 is permanently'fattached to the back portion 22 of the glove 9, the lace 3 2 should be of suffici'ent length to freely accommodate a handle between the lace and finger stalls. Thus, when'the handle is slipped between the lace and finger stalls, the lace can be cinched up'and pulled taut between thefingers to achieve the finger lock. It can be seen that withthe permanently attached lace 32, the 'glove 9 'may also be used without the' finger lock feature by merely pressing the lace 32 against the palm out'of'the'way. p l

' Although the invention has been described and illustratedwith reference to preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that other embodiments, as well .as modifications to those disclosed, can be made without departing from the scopeof the invention, for the limits of which reference must be made 'to' the appended claims.

What is claimed is: V

1 In a glove comprising a wristportion', palm and, back portions, a thumb stall a'ndfo'ur lfinge'r stalls, the combination comprising a grommet fixedly mounted onthe distail end of each of the middle, ring andlittle finger stalls, a tab, three grommets fixedly mounted on said tab adjant e nd. new e d s l s: t d d hrqu said gr'qmrnets ,on said finger stallsyand said tab so as to form lace segments of adjustable lengththerebetween, and fastening means for detachably securing ,saidtab to the back portion' of said glove at a selected point thereon, whereby when said glove is on ausers hand, -said-lace segments can be looped over a handle disposed transverselyadjaeent the palmar side. of said finger stalls in'the projection of the arc defined by the finger stalls when the fingers engage the handle in gripping attitude, and said lace is passed betweenthe middle an'd ring finger stalls adjacent tlie point of their juncture with the palmar and back portions of said glove, and saidtab then secured to said back portion. 1 in 2 In a glove as definedin clairn l, wherein, saic l{fastening means .co r r:1prise s a first fastening membervfixedly to the back portion 22 of a 'glove after finger stalls'of the latter have been locked around a handle. Furthermore, any number of finger stalls of a glove can be connected bearing stalls having distal portions and open portions remote from said distal portions, a Wristband secured to said finger bearing stalls, said stalls and Wristband forming said glove, a lace attached to the distal portion of at least one of said finger bearing stalls and being of sufiicient length to loop over said handle portion disposed transversely adjacent the palmar side of each of said finger bearing stalls and extending between said finger bearing stalls adjacent said open portions and adapted to be drawn outwardly away from the back of said hand and temporarily tightly lodging said lace between said finger bearing stalls adapted to lock said fingers in said finger bearing stalls about said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1956 Romeo 2-161 5/1966 Goldberger 273166 10 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

